The invention relates generally to waste handling and more particularly to waste sorting and waste transport management and the optimization of waste transport.
Nowadays it is typical, e.g. in respect of household waste, that households use as waste bags different bags, sacks or carrier bags, in which waste is placed. For example, in Finland it is normal to use plastic carrier bags from shops, in which shopping has been carried home, as waste bags. Wastes are carried in plastic carrier bags to a waste bin, into which typically the bag, and its contents, closed with a knot is placed. The wastes are transported onwards by garbage truck for further processing. In modern systems one disadvantage, among others, is that the sorting of wastes is awkward. It is often possible that users do not bother to sort wastes into different allotments, but instead mix all wastes in the same waste bag or waste bin. In this case mixed waste is produced, the reclamation of which is difficult.
Known in the art are solutions for sorting waste, in which solutions different types of waste are arranged to be transported in different containers, such as in waste bags or bins of different colors. For example, households place different types of wastes in waste bags of different colors. A waste bag of a specific color is specified for each type of waste. Wastes are transported e.g. in a normal garbage truck to a waste center, where the wastes are sorted into different allotments on the basis of the colors of the waste bags. The sorting of waste optically is described in publication EP0759816. A drawback here is that there must be waste bags separately arranged for the purpose for each waste type to be sorted. Another drawback is also the uncertainty of operation of the automatic optical sorting apparatus used in sorting the waste bags in a dirty environment. The sorting of waste is described in publication WO03039773 A1.
On the one hand, nothing guarantees that a waste producer, such as a household, will use a waste bag of the correct color for each type of waste. It is difficult to get misusers of the system to change their habits. On the other hand, identifying or tracing a misuser after the event is almost impossible.
Furthermore, it is typical when using plastic carrier bags or plastic bags as waste bags that the knot made in the bag, e.g. from the carrying handles, opens, in which case the wastes can spread freely during transportation to outside the bag. This makes the transport vehicle, the waste bin and/or other waste bags dirty on the outside, hampering the sorting process and also forming a hygiene problem. The waste bags end up nowadays, with the waste they contain, at a landfill site, which is a considerable problem.
Also known in the art are systems for managing waste transport and for receiving more waste transport information, wherein the waste bins emptied into a garbage truck are provided with electronically readable identifiers. In this case information about which waste bins have been emptied is received and the information transferred to an information system. The routes and visits of garbage trucks are, however, mainly based on regular schedules and it has not been possible to optimize transports well enough.
The aim of the invention is to achieve a new type of solution, by means of which the problems of prior art can be avoided.